In 'Cheap Words' George delves into the world of the online retail giant Amazon, investigating how Amazon is reshaping the landscape of books and highlighting the issues behind the current stand-off between Amazon and the French publisher Hachette.

In this podcast, Avenue Bookstore's Anna Taylor heads down to The New Yorker offices in Times Square, New York City to find out why one distributor characterised his negotiations with Amazon as being 'like dinner with the godfather.'

Betty Churcher on 'Australian Notebooks'

Betty is best known as a former director of the National Gallery of Australia. She also served as the director of the Art Gallery of Western Australia and has worked as an art teacher, television presenter and critic.

In 2003, Betty realised that she was losing her sight. Determined to continue enjoying her favorite works of art, she travelled to Europe and around Australia, sketching her best-loved works in an effort to imprint them on her memory.

In this podcast, Avenue Bookstore’s Anna Taylor chats to Betty about her sketching tour of Australia and her time at the helm of the National Gallery of Australia.

Siri Hustvedt on 'The Blazing World'

Our third episode comes to you from New York City and features the internationally acclaimed American novelist, Siri Hustvedt. In one of her only Australian interviews, Siri speaks about her brand new novel The Blazing World.

Siri is best known for her works of fiction, including the 2003 bestseller, What I Loved. She has also written a number of books on neuroscience, psychoanalysis and art.

The Blazing World tells the provocative story of the artist Harriet Burden. After years of having her work dismissed by critics, Harriet hides her identity behind three male fronts who exhibit her work as their own.

In this podcast, Avenue Bookstore’s Anna Taylor catches up with Siri at her home in Brooklyn. They chat about women in art, the Ern Malley affair and the fundamental mysteries of existence.

Enjoy our extended interview with one of America’s best contemporary writers.

David Sedaris on ‘Let’s Explore Diabetes with Owls’

David Sedaris is best knownfor his short stories and personal essays which are regularly featured in the New Yorker magazine and on the radio show, This American Life.

Last year, Sedaris released his ninth collection of essays entitled Let’s Explore Diabetes with Owls. This hilarious book shamelessly examines Sedaris’s family, American politics, travel and even the Australian Kookaburra!

The Avenue Bookstore was delighted to be the official bookseller for ‘An evening with David Sedaris’ in Melbourne. Anna Taylor sat down to chat with David as he graciously signed copies of his best-selling books for our store.

John Safran on ‘Murder in Mississippi’

Safran's book reveals the bizarre and fascinating story behind the 2010 murder of Richard Barrett, one of Mississippi’s most notorious white supremacists. Was this murder simply another Deep South race crime, or could there have been more at play? Was it possible that the murder actually involved a dispute over money and sex?

In this podcast, John Safran speaks with Avenue Bookstore’s Anna Taylor about his fascination with white supremacists, the history of the Deep South and how he managed to get Richard Barrett’s murderer to reveal his side of the story.

This is the first episode in what will be an ongoing series of literary podcasts produced by Avenue Bookstore. Look out for more author interviews and literary discussions in coming months.